Top choices of routers, bench top router tables, bench dog router tables, and more!
Woodworking and fine wood designs have been famous around the past few years as this contributes very well to home designs and home furniture. With the use and the help of great router tables, you are sure to be able to make the best-designed cuts and woodwork creations.
We have here the best router tables for woodworking!
What must I consider when getting a Router Table?
Fence: The fence plays a very important part in the router table. You have to make sure its fence can be easily adjusted. When it can be easily adjusted, you are able to set it straight and it would stay in place
Dust Collector: It is quite necessary to see whether the router table has a dust collector or not. This is very helpful as it collects the dust or specs of cut wood from ever spreading everywhere or into your system as this can cause many problems.
Base: When getting a router table, you must also consider its base. You must see whether the base is stable or not. Because if it is not stable, then there is a possibility the table could be a waste of your time and your safety can be at risk.
Base Plate: At the center of your router table, there is a part of which it is nestled in a hole placed to support the heavy weight of your router. This base plate must be rigid and flat. It should also be durable enough as it is supposed to support your routers heavyweight.
Best Benchtop Router Table For Woodworking 2022
Bosch RA1181 Benchtop Router Table Review
The Bosch RA1181 Benchtop Router Table is one of the best choices of all the Benchtop Router Tables out there.It contains quite a lot of features that can be found essential in many situations.
It contains quite a lot of features that can be found essential in many situations.
- The Bosch Ra1181 Benchtop Router has 2 feather boards that can be easily adjusted. It also has a fence made out of aluminium and what comes with it is MDF faceplates and a router mounting plate also made out of aluminium.
- The router table also has additional features that can make your woodworking experience easier and less messy. This feature is what we call a dust collector port. This allows all the dust to be gathered in one port while in the process of shaping your wood.
- It has mounting hardware for a variety of routers to choose from, a dual outlet switch and a power cord that measures 6-foot long. So it definitely doesn’t require any batteries whatsoever.
- The website claims that this router table is compatible with most routers which means you won’t be limited to only one router and that you are capable of doing lots of router woodworking plans, designs, and styles.
- Lastly, the Bosch Ra1181 Benchtop Router consists of 3/8 inch by ¾ inch slots to use for your accessories. In addition, the box when ordering includes a starter pin, a guard, shims, 3 rings and an adjustable stable guard.
The router table is an excellent value for money.
It has a pretty good and large working space for you to have a comfortable experience when using the product, preventing any other hassles and extras when you are woodworking.
- When you are going to measure its work surface, you’ll get 27 inches by 18 inches. Because of this, it grants you the opportunity of a comfortable working space that allows you to do more, work more and enjoy more.
Pros
- Has a plate that can be easily adjusted
- Has a fence that can be easily adjusted
- The table is nice and heavy to ensure stability against vibration
Cons
- Most of its body parts are made out of plastic
- The mounting plate is made out of brittle alloy
Kreg PRS1045 Precision Router Table Review
- It has a precision router table system, a multi-purpose, self-squaring router table fence system, and a high-performance tabletop with precision insert plate system.
- It is built for heavy duty works and its stand is made out of steel which can be easily adjusted. Because of this, vibrations, as well as noise, can be completely absorbed. The router table is also customizable, making sure you’re not limited only to that point of the table.
- The product contains a T-square fence that is made out of aluminum. This is very helpful considering that we all want precise cuts. This T-Square Fence also allows us to use the miter slot easily.
- The KregPRS1045 Precision Router Table features an MDF top with a micro-dot surface that is easy to slide which grants you the advantage of you being able to slide the boards easily.
- The router table’s plate is compatible and works great with any other router which makes it extremely helpful and useful. Its individual fence faces allow you to use the table as a vertical jointer.
- This vertical jointer has dual rings, a steel stand that can be easily adjusted from 31 to 36 inches in height. You also have enough workspace to deal with everything else while the whole product is very durable.
Pros
- The table is solid and sturdy
- The stand is very heavy and very stable
- The table itself is precise and versatileIt has a simple great design
- You will have lots of working space
Cons
- Most of its parts can be fragile
- The alignment with the router is not that good
Kreg PRS2100 Bench Top Router Table Review
So far, besides the Bosch RA1181 Bench Top Router Table, the brand, Kreg, is also one of the most reliable brands of router tables out there. This one is the Kreg PRS2100 Bench Top Router Table named from the brand itself.
- The Kreg PRS2100 Bench Top Router Table consists of an MDF table top that is extra-large with the measurement of 16 inches by 24 inches with an easy-slide surface, making your woodworking experience smooth to the slide and easier to work with.
- The bench top router table’s box includes an MDF top, an extruded fence made out of aluminum, a full-size insert place with 3 level-Loc rings, levelers for insert plates, and a steel stand made for heavy duties.
- Its stand is wide and has a heavy-duty steel made to ensure increased stability preventing from any accidental breakage and any annoying vibrations that could ruin your masterpiece or your woodworking process.
- The bench top router table has a high-quality fence for industrial standards that contains adjustable faces to make things easier, a dust collector to make your working experience less messy, and new cam clamps together with vertical jointing.
- Lastly, the Kreg PRS2100 Bench Top Router Table contains a router insert plate at its full size with precision plate levelers and new level-lock reducing rings.
Pros
- It is a very sturdy table
- Heavy enough to prevent any vibrations from happening
- Your routers are easy to place
- The fence is easy to adjustHas a surface with an easy to slide top
Cons
- The fence is made out of low-quality materials
- After a long while of using the product, its plate leveling screws can become loose
Bench Dog Tools 40-102 ProMax Cast Iron Router Table Extension Review
This product is so far the top choice and the best bench dog router table of all the other tables in Amazon.
The Bench Dog Tools 40-102 Pro Max Cast Iron Router Table Extension consists of a cast iron router table top, a pro-fence, good mounting hardware, a pro plate, and a pro lifter. Although the pro plate is sold separately as mentioned.
- Pro Fence that it contains can quickly dismount and hang on the provided j-hooks while you are in the process of using your table saws. This makes your work much easier than having to dismount it with extra force.
- Because of the bench dog router table’s size, you are able to use this in small shops for it doesn’t consume as much space and still does the work for you when it is needed.
- The table itself is compatible with contractor-grade table saws and all right-tilt cabinet grade table saws with the measurements of a 27 inch deep by 1-1/2 inch thick cast iron tables, allowing them to fit well into it.
As mentioned in the site, the pro plate is sold separately which can cost you a different round. But it won’t be too expensive for that matter. The plate has an opening which has the measurement of 8-/14 by 11-3/4.
Lastly, we have the Pro-Lift 40-150. A part of the bench dog router table that contains a thick plate measuring ¾ inches.
Pros
- It has a Cast Iron Build which is very good to make the table heavier, preventing unwanted vibrations
- It has a dust collector, useful for less messy sessions
- The router table uses a cantilevered gripping system which holds the fence in position
- The fence is rigid and it perfectly locks down for tight workYou’ll be sure to have satisfying cuts
Cons
- The table is very heavy and you will really need help with the mounting process
- Its router Pro Plate has to be purchased separately from the actual product
What is a router table?
A router table is mainly used for woodworking.
It is a stationary woodworking machine in which a woodworking router is required, acting as its vertically oriented spindle to shape wood. The router table mostly specializes in cabinetry.
This machine is a woodworker and hobbyists’ best friend as this is one of the greatest inventions that helps in woodworking.
It makes the job a lot easier than having to manually carve and shape wood with your own bare hands and a few tools.
Although it can take up some space in your house, but it sure does save up your time.
What are routers?
Well, the router is a vital tool in a router table as it is nothing without it. That is why the table is called a router table because of the tool in which is the most essential in order to fulfill the woodworking purpose.
The use of the router is to rout out or to carve onto a very hard piece of wood, giving it a different yet creative look. The wood’s shape would also depend on the shape of the router that you will use.There are two types of routers.
- There is the plunge router which entirely plunges and locks onto the wood, then doing what it needs to do.
- Then there is the fixed based router in which its whole body moves into the wood manually as you glide right through it as it shapes the wood.
Why do I need to buy one?
If you are a woodworking hobbyist, a professional woodworker, or just at the start of becoming one, believe me, getting a router table is going to be of great use to you as there are plenty of reasons how it can make your woodworking life much easier.
- Instead of having to use any hand-held routers, you are able to work with them on stationed tables which reduce the risk of any accidents and injuries.
- This also helps with reducing terrible mistakes with your woodwork.
- When getting a router table, they offer a certain level of good stability which is quite needed when you are going to apply pressure to shape your own workpiece.
- And when you are using your router table, both of your hands will be free which gives you a better control over the board.
?Try to see this video to better understand how it is when using router tables. (video)
Router tables also have different other features which can be very useful when you are working.
- With the use of its fence, feather boards, and T-slots, you will have lots of accessories to utilize in order to get into more tasks.
- These tables are also designed to make outputs look better and neater.
- They enable you to cut and shape wood with exact precision.
- Overall, having to use a router table is much safer, much quicker and much more convenient.
So far, these are best and one of the top choices of bench dog and bench top router tables that we can find. But just know, not every router is terrible and quite bad. Some can just outrank the other which we can say that one is greater than the other one.
Just don’t be afraid to try out the rest. They are still good calls. It just depends on which and what kind you are looking for. After all, we all want to make the right choice and purchase the one that won’t be leading us to regret anything at all.
The router tables that were mentioned in this article are also good tables and are given titles to which it is best suitable for. We have the top ranked one for one of each. The best for money, the best for fine woodworking, best bench dog router table, and the best router for you hobbyists out there.
So that ends this article. What do you say? Go ahead and try out these tables and feel free to make those super great wood creations!